Pneumatic rifle



Patented June 25, 1935 Unirse STATES PNEUMATIC RIFLE Nathan H. Price,Birmingham., Ala., assigner of one-half to Grady Gillespie, Birmingham,Ala.

Application August 14, 1934, Serial No. 739,802

8 Claims.

The invention relates to a pneumatic rie and more especially to a safetybreech loading repeater air gun.

The primary object of the invention is the provision or" a rie or gun ofthis character, wherein shot from a magazine can be successively fedwith safety against premature discharge from the discharge barrel at itsbreech end `for repeating action and the discharge of the shot beingpneumatically controlled, the rie or gunin its construction being ofnovel form.

Another object of the invention is `the provision of a rifle or gun ofthis character, wherein the pumping of the same may be had with safetyagainst accidental discharge of shot during the pumping period and inwhich is involved the magazines for the storage of "shot, one beingadapted to feed thek shot to a cylinder "which is revolubly supported atthe breech end'o the discharge barrel, so that successively the shot canbe brought into discharging position at the breech end of said barreland after each shot, upon discharge, the barrel is leftempty so that thepumping of the gun may be accomplished without liability of accidentaldischarge of a load therefrom, the pumping action being smooth,`withassurance of maximum compression,`while the trigger is safe due to itsdesign and the location of its pivot pin which is so placed that anyforward pressure of the iiring plunger tends to tighten it and saidtrigger released under an even pressure at all times.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a rifle or gun ofthis character wherein the action of the firing plunger which strikesthe release valve is novel in that it instantly releases the full volumeand pressure `of air in the compression chamber directly against theshot to be discharged.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a rie or gunof this character which is comparatively simple in construction,thoroughly reliable and eilicient in its operation, compact, strong,durable, and inexpensive to manufacture. f

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in thefeatures of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as willbe hereinafter more fully described in detail, illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, which discloses the preferred embodiment of theinvention, and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended. I

purposesf Arranged within the cylinder II is a In the accompanyingdrawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rifle or gun constructed in accordancewith the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectionalView.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view partly in section.

Figure 4 is a sectional View on the line 4--0 of Figure 2 looking in thedirection of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of lo Figure 2 looking inthe direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the trigger. Figure 'l is afragmentary diagrammatic View showing in detail the magazine closureclip.

Similar reference characters indicate correspending parts throughout theseveral views in the drawing.

Referring to the drawing in detail, A designates generally a portion ofthe rifle or gun stock which may be of conventional style and upon 20which is mounted the gun body, the rear portion oi which constitutes thebreech I 0,` while the forward portionforms a pump including a cylinderI I which, at the lowermost external portion, has formed therewith a lugi2, the same iitting 2- a correspondingly shaped depression or recess inthe stock A and from without the latter is passed a screw i3 which isthreaded into the lug I2, so that these parts, namely, the stock and thebody, will be detachably tted with each other. 30

superimposed upon the cylinder l I is the discharge barrel I4, thesebeing aligned, and at opposite sides of this barrel are the tubularmagazines I5 and I6, respectively, extended parallel one with the other.rIhe magazinesv I5 and I 6 are of less length than the barrel i4, thelatter and the said magazines, at their inner ends, being in confrontingrelation to a revolving feed cylinder I'i having the rearwardly taperedshot receiving openings i8 arranged uniformly spaced from each other andin a circular trend for successive registration with the inner ends ofthe barrel M and the magazines I5 and I6,'respec tively. The cylinderI'I is rotatable upon a forwardly directed tubular extension I9 of the45 breech end I0 which extends into the cylinder I I and at its free endis formed with a knifeedge valve seat 20.

Fitting the outer end of the cylinder II is a packing gland 2isurrounding a plunger 22 havo ing at its outer end the knob-like handgrip. 23 which is outside of said cylinder II, whileatthe inner end ofthis plunger 22 is a piston 24 which operates within the cylinder II forair pumping block 25 dividing the said cylinder to provide at its innerend a compressed air chamber 26, the block 25 being formed with aninternal valve seat 21 about a port or passage 28 establishingcommunication between the pumping side of the cylinder l! and thecompressed air chamber 25. Slidably fitted in the block 25 is a valve 29normally engaged with said seat 2l, while engageable with the valve seat25 of the tubular eX- tension i9 is a valve 35, the same being carriedby a push pin 3|. This pin Si ts within a central bore constituting anair passage 32 from the chamber 25 to a breech discharge nozzle 33common to a single hole i5 in the revolving cylinder I'I, yso thatcompressed air will deliver a shot from this hole into the barrel ififor the discharge of said shot therefrom.

Surrounding the plunger 22 is a coiled cushioning spring 34 active onthe outward stroke of said plunger, thecylinder il having the piston24therein being provided with the air inlet port or vent 35 opening tothe atmosphere.

Interposed between the valves 29 and 35 is a coiled tensioning spring 36which is seated against retaining lugs El' and 35, respectively, for theholding of said spring aligned with said valves and this springfunctions to normally seat the said valves 29 and 35, as should beapparent from Figure 2 of the drawing.

Formed in the rear end of the breech l5 is a hammer chamber 35 havingfitted therein a slidable hammer head i5 provided with a cooking stem 4Iwhich extends through a cap l2 fitting the breech lli and closing theouter end of the chamber 39, the same being provided with the knob-likehand grip i3 at its outer end, while surrounding this stem il is acoiled expansion spring 44 to force the hammer head lil inwardly in thechamber 39 for actuating the push pin 3l for the unseating of the valve30 so that compressed air within the chamber 25 can flow through thenozzle 33 for the discharge of a shot from the cylinder il and thebarrel lll, the chamber 26 being supplied with compressed air byactuating the piston Z, as should be obvious.

At the breech end I@ and formed in the stock A is a trigger slot i5 fora trigger 6 having the bell crank-like hanger fork fill pivoted at i8 toa bearing 49 formed on the breech end lli and this trigger 65 locks thehammer head l5 in cocked position within the chamber 39. The trigger 46is forced to cocking position by a leaf spring i9 active upon saidtrigger, the hammer head 43 being moved to cooking position manually bypulling outwardly upon its stem lli by hand. The pump plunger 22 ismanually operated.

Arranged within the inner end of the magazine I5 is a spring pressedsnapping latch or keeper pin 5B which engages with a confronting hole I8in the cylinder il so as to latch the said cylinder for the aligning ofone of its holes i8 with the barrel Ul and another of its holes i8 withthe magazine i5 so that shot contained within the latter can bedelivered into the cylinder I1 singly and the delivery of a shot fromsaid cylinder under compressed air to the barrel I4 for the discharge ofsaid shot therefrom, the compressed air being fed through the nozzle 33to the barrel Iii, as hereinbefore set forth.

Located upon the magazines I5 and l5 is an adjustable sight 5icooperating with the stationary sights 52 and 53, respectively, upon thebarrel I4.

Mounted as usual upon the stock A is a trigger guard 5LB.

Removably and swingingly carried at the forward end of the magazine i5is a closure clip 55 which constitutes a dual closure for both magazinesI5 and I5 at their outer ends, it being apparent that when swinging theclip 55 away from the magazine E5, at its outer end, shot may be placedwithin this magazine and to enable convenient loading of the cylinderlll the said magazine I5 next to the cylinder is provided with a slot 55which permits of the urging of the shot into the holes or openings i8 insaid cylinder from the magazine i5 and the shot fed to the said cylinderIl cannot drop out of the holes or openings I8 therein in a rearwarddirection, While the abutting portions of the gun body and the stock atthe front side of the said cylinder i1 will assure the retention of theshot within the holes or openings i8 therein.

It will be apparent that when a shot has been discharged from the barrellll the same remains empty and thus an accidental discharge of shot fromthe rifle or gun will be presented during the pumping of the said rifleor gun for the pneumatic operation thereof.

The nozzle 33 is removably fitted in the breech end l of the gun body toenable the cleaning thereof or for repair purposes. It also will beobvious that the parts of the riiie or gun are readily deinountable forfree accessibility.

The magazine l may be utilized for the storage of shot augmenting thesupply in the magazine I5, but such shot as contained within themagazine I6 must necessarily be transferred to the magazine I5 for thefeed of such shot therefrom to the cylinder il.

The valves 29 and 35 carry the packings 5i and 58, these being renewablewhen the occasion requires, to avoid possibility of leakage ofcompressed air within the chamber 25.

On the uncocking of the hammer head i5 a push pin 3| will be acted uponto unseat the valve 35 and compressed air within the chamber 2B will owthrough the passage 32 and nozzle 33 to the discharge barrel I4 for thesending of a shot as contained within the opening or hole I8 in thecylinder I 'l confronting said barrel, the compressed air beingdelivered directly to the barrel for the discharge of the shottherefrom. The cylinder Il is manually revolved for repeating action ofthe rifle or gun.

What is claimed is:

l. A rifle of the kind described comprising a gun stock, a gun bodycarried by the stock and having a rear portion forming a breech and aforward portion forming a pump including a cylinder, a discharge barrelsuperimposed upon said cylinder, tubular magazines arranged at oppositesides of the barrel and of less length than the latter, a revolving feedcylinder confronting the said barrel and magazines at their rear endsand having rearwardly tapered shot receiving openings uniformly spacedfrom each other in a circular trend for register with the said barreland magazines, a tubular extension on the breech and rotatablysupporting the feed cylinder, a block arranged within the pump toprovide a compressed air chamber adjacent the breech and having anopening to the pumping side of said pump, an air pumping plunger fittedin said pump cylinder at the pumping side thereof, a valve seated insaid block to close the opening therein,l a breech nozzle leading fromsaid tubular extension for discharging compressed air through therevolving feed cylinder into the discharge barrel, a push pin working inthe tubular extension and havinga valve for closing communicationbetween the compressed air chamber and said nozzle, an expansion springbetween the said valves to normally hold the same seated, a hammeracting upon said push pin and spring controlled, and a trigger cookingsaid hammer.

2. A rifle of the kind described comprising a gun stock, a gun bodycarried by the stockand having a rear portion forming a breech and aforward portion forming a pump including a cylinder, a discharge barrelsuperimposed upon said cylinder, tubular magazines arranged at oppositesides of the barrel and of less length than the latter, a revolving feedcylinder confronting the said barrel and magazines at their rear endsand having rearwardly tapered shot receiving openings uniformly spacedfrom each other in a circular trend for register with the said barreland magazines, a tubular extension on the breech and rotatablysupporting the feed cylinder, a block arranged within the pump toprovide a compressed air chamber adjacent the breech and having anopening to the pumping side of said pump, an air pumping plunger fittedin said pump cylinder at the pumping side thereof, a

valve seated in said block to close the opening therein, a breech nozzleleading from said tubular extension for discharging compressed airthrough the revolving feed cylinder into the discharge barrel, a pushpin working in the tubular extension and having a valve for closingcommunication between the compressed air chamber and said nozzle, anexpansion spring between the said valves to normally hold the sameseated, a hammer acting upon said push pin and spring controlled, atrigger cooking said hammer, and a pull stem on said hammer for manuallyretreating the same.

3. A rifle of the kind described comprising a gun stock, a gun bodycarried by the stock and having a rear portion forming a breech and aforward portion forming a pump including a cylinder, a discharge barrelsuperimposed upon said cylinder, tubular magazines arranged at oppositesides of the barrel and of less length than the latter, a revolving feedcylinder confronting the said barrel and magazines at their rear endsand having rearwardly tapered shot receiving openings uniformly spacedfrom each other in a circular trend for register with the said barreland magazines, a tubular extension on the breech and rotatablysupporting the feed cylinder, a block arranged -within the -pump toprovide a compressed air chamber adjacent the breech and having anopening to the pumping side of said pump, an air pumping plunger fittedin said pump cylinder at the pumping sidethereof, a valve seated in saidblock to close the opening therein, a breech nozzle leading from saidtubular extension for discharging compressed air through the revolvingfeed cylinder into the discharge barrel, a push pin working in thetubular extension and having a valve for closing communication betweenthe compressed air chamber and said nozzle, an expansion spring betweensaid valves to normally hold the same seated, a hammer acting upon saidpush pin and spring controlled, a trigger cooking said hammer, a pullstem on said hammer for manually retreating the same, and a latch meansin one of the magazines and engageable with the feed cylinder tofrictionally latch the same in set position.

4. A rifle of the kind described comprising a gun stock, a gun bodycarried by the stock and having a rear portion forming a breech and afor- Ward portion forming a, pump including a cylinder, a dischargebarrel superimposed upon said cylinder, tubular magazines arranged atopposite sides of the barrel and-of less length than the latter, arevolving feed cylinder confronting the said barrel and magazines attheir rear ends and having rearwardly tapered shot receiving openingsuniformly spaced from each other in a circular trend for register withthe said barrel and magazines, a tubular extension on the breech androtatably supporting the feed cylinder, a block arranged within the pumpto provide a compressed air chamber `adjacent the breech and having anopening to the pumping side of said pump, an air pumping plunger fittedin said pump cylinder at the pumping side thereof, a valve seated insaid block to close the opening therein, a breech nozzle leading fromsaid tubular extension for discharging compressed air through therevolving feed cylinder into the discharge barrel, a push pin working inthe tubular extension and having a valve for closing communicationbetween the compressed air chamber and said nozzle, an expansion springbetween the said valves to normally hold the same seated, a hammeracting upon said push pin and spring controlled, a trigger cocking saidhammer, a pull stem on said hammer for manually retreating the same, alatch means in one of the magazines and engageable with thefeedgcylinder to frictionally latch the same in. set position, and aclosure clip bridging the discharge barrel and swingingly supported toclose the outer ends `of the said magazines.

5. A rifle of the kind described comprising a gun stock, a gun bodycarried by the stock and having a rear portion forming a breech and aforward portion forming a pump including a cylinder, a discharge barrelsuperimposed upon said cylinder, tubular magazines arranged at oppositesides of the barrel and of less length than the latter, a revolving feedcylinder confronting the said barrel and magazines at their rear endsand having rearwardly tapered shot receiving block arranged within thepump to provide a compressed air chamber adjacent the breech and havingan opening to the pumping side of said pump, an air pumping plunger ttedin said pump cylinder at the pumping side thereof, a valve seated insaid block to close the opening therein, a breech nozzle leading fromsaid tubular extension for discharging compressed air through therevolving feed cylinder into the discharge barrel, a push pin working inthe tubular extension and having a Valve for closing communicationbetween the compressed air chamber and said nozzle, an expansion springbetween the said valves to normally hold the same seated, a hammeracting upon said push pin and spring controlled, a trigger cocking saidhammer, a pull stem on said hammer for manually retreating the same, alatch means in one of the magazines and engageable with the feedcylinder to frictionally latch the same inset position, a closure clipbridging the discharge barrel and swingingly supported to close theouter ends of the said mag azines, and an adjustable sight slidablyconnected with the magazines and properly arranged with the barrel.

6. A rifle of the kind described comprising a F gun stock, a gun bodycarried by the stock and having a rear portion forming a breech and aforward portion forming a pump including a cylinder, a discharge barrelsuperimposed upon said cylinder, tubular magazines arranged at oppositesides of the barrel and of less length than the latter, a revolving feedcylinder confronting the said barrel and magazines at their rear endsand having rearwardly tapered shot receiving openings uniformly spacedfrom each other in a circular trend for register with the said barreland magazines, a tubular extension on the breech and rotatablysupporting the feed cylinder, a block arranged within the pump toprovide a compressed air chamber adjacent the breech and having anopening to the pumping side of said pump, an air pumping plunger fittedin said pump cylinder at the pumping side thereof, a valve seated insaid block to close the opening therein, a breech nozzle leading fromsaid tubu lar extension for discharging compressed air through therevolving feed cylinder into the discharge barrel, a push pin working inthe tubular extension and having a valve for closing communicationbetween the compressed air chamber and said nozzle, an expansion springbetween the said valves to normally hold the same seated, a hammeracting upon said push pin and spring controlled, a trigger cooking saidhammer, a pull stem on said hammer for manually retreating the same, alatch means in one of the magazines and engageable with the feedcylinder to frictionally latch the same in set position, a closure clipbridging the discharge barrel and swingingly supported to close theouter ends of the said magazines, an adjustable sight slidably connectedwith the magazines and properly arranged with the barrel, and fore andaft stationary sights on said barrel.

7. A rifle of the kind described comprising a gun stock, a gun bodycarried by the stock and having a rear portion forming a breech and aforward portion forming a, pump including a cylinder, a discharge barrelsuperimposed upon said cylinder, tubular magazines arranged at oppositesides of the barrel and of less length than the latter, a revolving feedcylinder confror` ng the said barrel and magazines at their rear endsand having rearwardly tapered shot receiving openings uniformly spacedfrom each other in a circular trend for register with the said barreland magazines, a tubular extension on the breech and rotatablysupporting the feed cylinder, a block arranged within the pump toprovide a compressed air chamber adjacent the breech and having anopening to the pumping side said pump, an air pumping plunger fitted insaid pump cylinder at the pumping side thereof, a valve seated in saidblock to close the opening therein, a breech nozzle leading from saidtubular extension for discharging compressed air through the revolvingfeed cylinder into the discharge barrel, a push pin working in thetubular extension and having a valve for closing communication betweenthe compressed air chamber and said nozzle, an expansion spring betweenthe said valves to normally hold the same seated, a hammer acting uponsaid push pin and spring controlled, a trigger coching said hammer, apull stem on said hammer for manually retreating the same, a latch meansin one of the magazines and engageable with the feed cylinder tofrictionally latch the same in set position, a closure clip bridging thedischarge barrel and swingingly sup ported to close the outer ends ofthe said magazines, an adjustable sight slidably connected with themagazines and properly arranged with the barrel, fore and aft stationarysights on said barrel, and a knobbed stem operable exteriorly of thepump cylinder and engaged with said plunger.

8. A riiie of the kind described comprising a gun stock, a gun bodycarried by the stock and having a rear portion forming a breech and aforward portion forming a pump including a cylinder, a discharge barrelsuperimposed upon said cylinder, tubular magazines arranged at oppositesides the barrel and of less length than the latter, a revolving feedcylinder confronting the said barrel and magazines at their rear endsand having rearwardly tapered shot receiving openings uniformly spacedfrom each other in a circular trend for register with the said barreland magazines, a tubular extension on the breech and rotatablysupporting the feed cylinder, a block arranged within the pump toprovide a compressed air chamber adjacent the breech and having anopening to the pumping side of said pump, an air pumping plunger fittedin said pump cylinder at the pumping side thereof, a valve seated insaid block to close the opening therein, a breech nozzle leading fromsaid tubular eXtension for discharging compressed air through therevolving feed cylinder into the discharge barrel, a push pin working inthe tubular extension and having a valve for closing communicationbetween the compressed air chamber and said nozzle, an expansion springbetween the said valves to normally hold the same seated, a hammeracting upon said push pin and spring controlled, a trigger cooking saidhammer, a pull stem on said hammer for manually retreating the same, alatch means in one of the magazines and engageable with the feedcylinder to frictionally latch the same in set position, a closure clipbridging the discharge barrel and swingingly supported to close theouter ends of the said magazines, an

adjustable sight slidably connected with the magazines and properlyarranged with the barrel, fore and aft stationary sights on said barrel,a knobbed stem operable exteriorly of the pump cylinder and engaged withsaid plunger, and a cushioning spring carried by said last-named stem.

NATHAN I-I. PRICE.

